Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

I am currently in the situation of picking a university to attend this fall. I am going to transfer and have above a 3.0 gpa. I can get into any school i want, pretty much. My DREAM wld be to attend TCU (Texas Christian University) but it is really really expensive. It would also require many loans. My 2nd choice is UTA, a very nice school and cheaper but, i guess not as prestigous. Do i go to the inexpensive school and get it mostly paid off, or take a chance and attend TCU a school people in my position would have never been able to attend. TY SO MUCH

Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

I picked a cheaper school (Rutgers University - offered me more money in scholarships) over a more prestigious, dream school (Cornell). Turns out, the cheaper school IS my dream school. Once you get to one or the other, you're going to be happy- it really doesn't make that much of a difference, as long as you are studying what you love.

There are plenty of options out there for scholarships and financial aid, be sure to check those out. Once you get your acceptances, if you are offered a scholarship, call the school and see if they can raise it for you. This is actually very common and generally works if you show a real interest in going to that school. Also check out FastWeb and FinAid for help.

If it helps you out- the prestige factor is local, I haven't heard amazing things about either school up here in the Northeast. If you're considering getting a job somewhere not local, sometimes it's not worth it to base your education on the reputation of the school. Where you go doesn't matter as much as what you do while you're there.

Good luck =)

Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

Go to the one with less debt.

Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

Are you sure TCU will be that much more expensive? On paper maybe, but be sure you have applied for financial aid which will give you a better idea of how much it will really cost you out of pocket. Also, will it take you longer to graduate from UTA (Univ. of TX at Austin I am guessing?) than TCU? At some public schools you can't get the classes you want in time to graduate in four years, so you really end up paying more in the end.

If you have your heart set on TCU, you should do it. You only get to go to College once, and it sounds like you will always wish you had chosen TCU. Educational loans are cheaper than other loans, and your chances of finding a job through TCU are excellent if you make an effort to visit the career center regularly. Attending a small private school where they focus on undergraduates will also be a totally different experience than a large public school. You will love it.

Don't worry about the prestige factor, that is only a value judgement that varies from person to person. Go where you will be happiest. How often in life can you make a dream come true? If you come from a background where you never expected to attend a private school (or maybe college in general?) TCU might be particularly eager to have you. They want diversity in their student body and may be able to offer you additional financial aid. Call and ask. It never hurts to speak with the financial aid office directly.

Good luck!

Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

It's really up to you. Will you regret not going to the prestigious school, even if you are in debt? To me, it sounds like it. Have you really checked out all the grant and scholarship options? Is there an alternative where you can do your undergrad at a cheaper school and then transfer to the one you want?

Which college do i choose? more prestige or more debt??

Student loans have low interest.

Don't look back 10 years and say, darn man, I wish I could have gone to my dream uni. You are only an undergraduate once. This Uni will bring you joy, pride and ability to show off. If I was you, my dream education cannot be sacrificed. Learn from now, follow your dreams.